Arc-lamp.



Witnesses:

W. s. WEBDON.

ARC LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, .1904.

2 SHEET$-SHEET 1.

Inventor-z William $.Weedon,

fTtt y.

PATENTED MAY 26, 1908.

, PATENTED MAY 26, 1908. W. S. WEEDON.

ARC LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY go. 1904.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Witnesses: Inventor: 7 Wi-[Iiam Weeclon;

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM S. WEEDON, OF SOHENEOTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. 4

ARC-LAMP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAMS. WEEDON,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arc-Lamps, of which I the following is a specification. v

,with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part'of this specification.

For

- a better understanding of my' invention,

however, reference may be made to the accom anymg description and drawings 1n who I haveillustrated and described one embodiment of my invention.

Of the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of an arc lamp equipped with my invention with parts broken away and in section; Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a portion of the air screen; Fig. 3 is an elevationof the'lamp with the casing and globe removed; Fig. 4 is an elevation showin a detail construction; Fig-Sis a diagram ill ustra ting the circuit arrangement of the lamp, and F ig.'6 is a sectional elevation showing the construction 'of the main dashpot.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the up er capor top member of the lamp proper. A disk shaped platform 2 is connected to the cap 1 by a tubular member 3. A tubular member 4 in line with the tubular member 3 extends a short distance above the cap .1.

Lateral openings 5 in the wall of the member 4 at its upper end are shielded. by a hood 6 carried at the upper end ofthe member 4. 1

Suitable provisions, not shown in the drawings, may be provided for engaging the hood- The memmember 6 to support the lamp. bers 3 and 4 may be integral with each other but are preferably se "arable and may be secured to the ca mem er '1 by a threaded connection. Sim arly the platform 2 may be Specification of Letters Patent.

7 Application filed'May 20, 1904. 'Serial No. 208,923.

' ected.

Patented May 26, 1908.

supported from the lower end of the member 3 by a threaded connection.

A tubular member 7 in line and in open communication with the members 8 and 4 is secured to but insulated from the under side of the platform 2. Bowed members 8 pivotally secured to opposite sides of the tubular member 7 have clamped between their v ends the ends of an are shaped bar 9 which forms the positive elec'tro e of the lamp. The bar 9 is formed of some materlal such as wrought co per which'ls a good conductor of heat and e ectricity and'is not readily oxidized at the temperature to which it is sub- Slots 10 are formed in opposite sides of the member 7 at its lower end to admit the passage through the member 7 of the bar 9.

A projection 8 from one of the bowed members is connected by links or bars 1 1. to a U shaped armature 12 which with its cooperatin-g solenoid coils 13 is located between the cap 1 and the platformZ. The coils 13 are secured to and carried by the tubular member 3. To the under side of the armature 12' is secured the outer shell member of a dash-- pct 14. The piston member of the dashpot is secured to the platform 2. The shell member of the dashpot 14 is formed with a lateral opening or passa e 16 asshown in Fig. 6, whereby an initiad downward movement of the armature 12 will not be opposed by the dashpot, this opening serving as a vent or escape passage. After a movement of the armature in the downward direction suflicient to cause the piston member to close the assage 16 a further downward movement 0 the armature will be delayed by the dashpot. The dashpot is so constructed as to offer no opposition 'to' a rapid upward movement of the armature.

The lower end of a post 17 is secured to the platform 2 and'extends parallel to member 3. The upper end of the post is connected to the memberB near its upper end by a bracket 18. A guide rod 19 the upper end of which is secured to the bracket 18 extends parallel to it to a point adjacent the latform. A tubular member 20 passing t rough an a erture formed for the purpose in the plat orm 2 slides on the guide rod 19. An arm 21 secured to the lower end of the tubular member 20 carries a socket 22 at its free end in which the negative electrode 23 of the lamp is held in line with the axis of the tubular member 7. The electrode 23 is formed of or contains some material such for instance as magnetite, titanium oxid or their mixtures, titanium carbid or the like, which in consuming gives a flaming orluminous arc. 5 The yoke of a clutch member 24 surrounds the tubular member 20; The pawl of the clutch member 24 is apertured to receivethe post 17 which serves as a guide to prevent angular displacement of the clutch 24. A helical spring 25 one end of which is secured to the free end of the awl of the clutch 24 normally holds the paw in the position in which .it looks the clutch 24 and the tubular member 20 together. Adjustable sto s 26 and 27 secured to the post 17 limit the upward and downward movement respectively of the clutch 24. The yoke member of a clutch 2S surrounds the tubular member 20 above the clutch 24. The outer end of the pawl of the g clutch-28 is apertured to receive the stem connecting the shell of the dashpot member 14 to the armature 12.

When the coils 1 3 are energized in a manner hereinafter described, the armature 12 will be raised. When the armature '12 is raised the outer end of the 'pawl member of the clutch 28 is first elevated to lock the tu-- bular member to the clutch 28 after which the tubular member 20 and electrode 23 will move forward with the armature. At the same time the electrode 9 will be oscillated by the links 11. The upward movement of the electrode 23 will be continued in the normal operation of the lamp until its up er end impinges against the under side oft e electrode 9. upward with the tubular member 20 until its pawl strikes the under side of the stop 26, after which further upward movement of the corresponding upward movement of the clutch 24, the member 20 bein pulled thereafter through the yoke of the dlutch member 24. In the normal position of the lamp shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the yoke of the clutch member 28 rests upon'an extension from the stop 26, and the member 20 is not locked to the clutch 2.8. I

A series coil 30 is supported by the platform 2. The movable pivoted armature 31 cooperating with this coil carries a contact 32 which engages acontact 33 when the winding 30 is deenergized. When the winding 30 is energized, however, the armature 31 is The clutch member 24 will movetubular member 20 will take 'placewithout' oscillated and the contacts 32 and 33 are held carried by and project from the upper ends of a pair of posts 42 and 43 respectively which extend upward side by side from the platform 2. Immediately above the contacts 40 and 41 is located a dashpot mechan-- ism comprising a shell member 44 which is adjustably secured to the member 3. The piston member 45 which slides in the shell member 44 carries at its lower end a disk 46 of conducting material such as carbon. A member 48 is bracket 49 secured to the platform 2 between the dashpot 14 and the posts 42 and '48. One end of the member 48 is bifurcated, the bifurcation'straddling the shell member of the dashpot 14. Pins '50 projecting from a sleeve 51 adjustably clamped to the shell member of the dashpot 14 engage the up er pivotally connected to a sides of the bifurcations to rock the mem er 48 bn a downward movement of the armature '12. The opposite end of the member 48 which considerably overbalances the bifurcated end engages an insulating button secured to the dash 0t member 45 below the disk 46 and holds t e disk 46 out of enga ement with the contacts 40 and 41 when t e armature 12 is in its lower position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. When the armature 12 is held 111 its upper position, however, the disk 46 will slowly move into the-position in which it engages the contacts 40 and 41, in which position it electrically connects I these contacts. A support 54 which may be in the, form of a tube of insulating material is secured to the upper side of the platform 2. A resistance conductor 55 is wound about this support. A sleeve 56 slides upon the tubular member 20. The upper ehd of the sleeve' 56 is prevented from passing through theaperture in the platform 2 by an out turned flange portion 57. To release the I tubular member 20 from the clutch member 24 the sleeve 56 may be manually forced upward to move the yoke of the clutch 24 upward until the awl member of theclutch is forced out of tlie locking position by its'engagement with the sto 261 This facilitates the trimming of the am I A casing 60 w ich may b'e-formed of sheet metal or the like incloses the lam mechan ism located between the cap 1 and the platform 2, the upper end of the casing being secured to the cap 1 in any suitable manner as.

by means of screws 61. \The lower end of the casing closely embraces the platform 2. Apertures 62 are formed in the lower end of the casing above the platform 2 through. which air may enter. the casing to ventilate the lam mechanism. The heated air passes out of't e up er end of the casing, suitable spaces being eft between the'casing and the hood -forthat purpose. .A hood'or water guard'63 surrounds the lower end of the casing to protect the'apertures 62. An annular hood'or member 64 secured to the casing I to the lower end of the globe in any suitable' manner as by screws 69, which engage the globe above the out-turned end portion 70..

below the hood 63 supports a suitable transparent or translucent globe 66 in any suitable manner as by screws 67.

The globe 66 which surrounds the lamp mechanism located below the platform 2 is formed with a large opening at its lower end. A sheet metal annular member 68 is secured A cylindrical member 71 having its lower end flared outward somewhat as shown,fits snugly in the central opening of the annular member with its axis in line with the axis of member 7. The member 71 may be secured to the annular member 68 by soldering orit may be detachably connected to the'member 68. A wire netting 72 of comparatively fine mesh is secured to andextends across the upper end of the cylindrical member 71. A somewhat similar netting-73 extends transversely across the cylindrical member 71 about midway between its ends. Thisnetting may be supported by annular members 74 and 75 as shown. a

' It will be observed that the lowernettin 73 is about in a plane with the lowerend o the annular member 68, while the upper netting .72 is considerably above this plane. As a're'sult of this construction when the lamp is located out doors or elsewhere where 'it is sub- I j ect to more or less violent usts of wind the provisions of the cylindrica member 71 and the two screens or nettings separated b some distance as shown, revents any sud den inrush of air into t e interior of the globe. This is an important advantage as with lamps of" this character it 'is desirable for their proper o eration to admit suflicient amount of an in t e casing to insure that the natural draft created by the heat of the arc will carry the are products up through the tubular members 7, 3 and 4.to the a ertures 5 through which they are discharger into the outside air. This draft tends materially to steady the are which extends between the electrodes. A variation in the amount of the 7 draft, particularly a sudden variation, proof the outside air are reduced to a minimum;

duces a disturbing influence upon the operation of the lamp. By the use of the construction shown disturbances produced by gusts It may be desirable to admit ,a small amount of air at the unction between the annular member and the lower end of the globe and atthe junction between the upper end of the globe and the hood. In 'many cases, however, it may be desirable to makethese I joints substantially air-tight, all of the air necessary to produce proper draft being then admitted through the cylindrical member 71.

In some cases I may dispense with the use of more than one screen, and I may also dispense in some cases with the use of the cylindrical member 71 or may modify its form, as

'trode of the lamp as indicate while the particular construction described works very well in practice I do not consider that this feature of n1 y invention is limited to the particular arrangement of parts shown.

The circuit arrangements of the lamp are shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. I Referring to this figure, 80 and 81 represent the positive and negative terminals respectively, of the -lamp. One terminal of the resistance conductor ,55 is connected to'the lamp terminal 80. The other terminal of the resistance conductoris connected to the contact 33 by a conductor 82. The contact 32 is connected to one terminal of the coils 13 which are in series with each other, by a conductor 83. The other terminal of the coils 13 is connected to the terminal 81 by a conductor 84.

A conductor 85 connects the terminal 80 with one terminal of the series coil 30, the 5 other terminal of which is connected through a contact screw 86 with the ositive elec-' d by the conductor 87. In the actual construction ofthe lamp the electrode 9 is in electrical connec-.

tion with the tubular member 7 through the bowed. member 8 and pivotal supports, and

the-tubular member 7 is in direct contact with thescrew 86. A conductor 87 connects the terminal 81 to the lower electrode 23. 5 A conductor 88 connects the contact 41 to the conductor 84. A conductor 89 connects the'contact device 40 to the conductor 85at the point 90. One terminal of the shunt coil 35'is connected to the conductor 82 by a 00 conductor 91. The other terminal of the shunt coil 35 is connected to conductor 83 by a conductor 92. A conductor 94 connects the contact 37 to the conductor 85 at the point 95. A contact device 38.is-connected 05 to contact screws 8 bya conductor 96.

I The out of service condition of the lamp which is the same as the running conditions of the lamp except that in the latter condi* tion the contacts 32 and 33 are separated,is

shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings.

When the lamp is out into service current will begin to flow between the terminals 80 and 81 through a circuit which includes a resistance, the conductor-55, conductor 82; 11-5 contacts 32 and 33, conductor 83, winding of the coils 13 and conductor 84..

The passage of current through the coils 13 will cause the armatureto' be raised. This will normally move the electrode 23 into contact with the electrode 9 as hereinbefore described. When the electrodes 9 and 23 contact current will ordinarily begin to flow between the electrodes 9 and 23 through a circuit which includes the conductor 85, windingoffthe coil 30, contact screw 86, conductor 87, electrode 9, electrode 23 and conductor 87. Passage of current through the winding of the coil- 30 causes the armature 31 to. be

rocked to, separate 'the contacts -32 and 33. 13c

When this occurs the winding of the coils 13 will no longer be'operatively energized'and the armature 12 and tubular member will descend. The downward movement of the tubular member 20 and consequently of the electrode 23 will be limited by the engagement ofthe pawltof the clutch member 24 with the stop 27. This regulates the length of thearc struckafter each feeding operation. In case the extreme upward movement of the armature 12 is insufficient to move the electrode 23, into engagement withthe electrode 9 no current will fiow throu h thecoil 30, and the contacts 32 and'33 wi therefore be undisturbed. As the. shell member of the dash-pot 14 no longer holds the member48 in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 when the armature 12 is in its upper position, the dash-pot member 45 will slowly descend until construction described the initial downward movement of the armature 12 is rapid. This will; cause an initial rapid rocking movement of the member 48 and aquick break between the contact points 40 and 41 and disk 46. The armature 12 will no sooner reach this lower position than it will again be started upwardby the energization of the coils 13 consequent upon breaking the low resistance shunt about .them. As the upward movement of the armature 13 isconsiderably greater .than the movement of; the clutch vmember 24 between the stops 25 and 26 each energization of the coils 13 will cause the member 20 to be pulled through the clutch member 24 an amount equal tothe difference in-the movement of the armature and the clutch member 24. This will be automatic-' ally repeated until the electrodes 9 and 23 make contact and the coil 30 is energized.

The employment of the contact points 40 and 41 and cooperating mechanism serves a further purpose in that if, for any reason the electrical'contact between, the electrodes 23 and 9 is too poor to allow the passage of current between the electrodes when they first engage the feeding operation will be repeated and the repeated hammering of the electrode 23 against the electrode 9 will soon establish a working contact between" the electrodes.

. When the voltage of the arc is raised beyond its normal value as by the consumption of the negative electrode, the shunt coil 35 will be operatively energized and the con-- tacts 37 and 38 will engage. .This throws a low resistance shunt about theiwindings of the coils-30which includes conductor 94,

contact 37, contact 38, and conductor 96. 'As soon as thisoccurs the contacts 32 and 33 will engage and a feeding operation of the lamp like that first described will take place.

The particular lamp heretofore shown and describedis intended. for'ope-ration in a constant current system. It will be obvious, however, to all those skilled in the art that my invention could readily be embodied in the lamp for operation ina constant potential system. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes may be made in the form of my invention without departing in any way from its spirit.

N 0 claim is made in the present application' to .the' arc inclosing globe and the arrangement ofits air admitting passage. This construction forms the subject matter of my application Serial No. 225,296 filed Scptem ber 21, 1 904 asa division of this application.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States. is,

1. In an arc lamp, a pair of cooperating electrodes, a feeding mechanism therefor for causing one or more relative approaching movements of said electrodes followed each by-a relative separating movement, each ap proaching mov'ement' exceeding and each separating movement equaling the normal arc length, said feeding mechanism including means for causing the successive approaching and separating movements being continueduntil the electrodes engage.

' 2. In an arc lamp, a pair of electrodes,

means for moving one of said electrodes a predetermined distance toward the other in thefeeding operation of the lamp and then moving it away from the other a fixed distance which in the normal operation of the lamp is less than the first movement of the electrode, and means for causing such forward and backward'movements of the electrode to be automatically repeated to bring about an engagement between the electrodes when the initial movement of the electrode is insufficient to bring about'such engagement.

3. In an arc lamp, an electrode, a second 'electrode, a clutch for moving said second electrode toward the first-mentioned electrode, a second clutch for limiting the movement of the electrode in the opposite dlIQC', tion, the movement produced by the firstmentioned clutch being normally greater than the movement of the electrode in the opposite direction allowed by the second clutch, and means for causing the first-mentioned clutch to re eatedly advance the electrode when an initia advancement of the electrode is insu:t' iicient to bring about an engagement between the two electrodes.

4. In an arc lamp, a pair of electrodes, and means normally acting to move said electrodes into engagement with each other and thereafter causing them to separate a distance equal to the normal arc length, and

able electrodes, and means for moving one in shunt to the arc between the electrodes switch controllingthe energization of'said 'denergized but allowing said member to means for causing successive relatlve a proaching and separating movement of said electrodes when the electrodes do not engage at the end of the first approaching movement, said means insuring that each ap preaching movement shall exceed and each separating movement equal the normal arc length.

5. In an arc lamp, a pan of relatively movable electrodes, means for moving one elec+ trode toward the other comprising a winding and a cooperating movable armature, a

winding including a member movable from one position in which it"permits the energization of the Winding to'a second position in which it prevents the ener ization of said winding, and means controlIed by the position of said armature for holding said mem her in said one-position when said winding is move into said second osition when said wmding'is energized wh1 esald armature remains stationary.

, 6. In an arc lamp, a pair of relatively movelectrode toward the other comprisin a winding in'shunt to the are between the e ectrodes and 006 eratingrn'ovable armature, a switch controlling the energization of said winding including a member movable from one position in which it allows of the ener gization of the winding to a second position in which it prevents the energization of said winding, means controlled by the position of said armature for holding said member in said one position when said winding is den-v ergiz'ed but allowing said member to move into said second position when said winding is energized, and while said armature remains stationary and means for retarding the I movement of said member from said one positionto said secondposition.

7. In an arc lamp, a stationary. electrode, a movable electrode, feeding mechanism for causing said movable electrode to be moved first toward the stationary electrode a distance exceeding and then away from the stationary electrode a distance equaling the normal arc length, said mechanism including means for causing said movement to be repeated until the electrodes engage, if such engagement does not occur on the initial movement.

8. In an arc lamp, a pair of electrodes arranged to be brought together and then separated to strike an'arc, and means for retarding the separating movement of the electrodes, said means becoming efiective only after a partial separating movement has occurred.

9. In an arc lamp, a pair of electrodes and mechanism constructed and arranged to bring the electrodes together and then cause them to-sep'arate to strike an arc, and means for retarding the final separating but notthe initial movement of the electrodes.

10. In an arc lamp, an'electrode, a-se'cond electrode and meansfor' moving it into engagement with the first electrode and then causing it to move away from the first electrode to strike an arc, and means for permitting'the initial portion of the movement of 'mainder of the latter movement to e slow.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of May, 1904.-

' v WILLIAMS. WEEDON.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFORD. 

